Hopper construction



1 2 June 9 7 F. N. ROSS HOPPER CCQJNS'IIRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1925 5 m m ml m D E &

A TTORNEY.

June 7, 1927. 1,631,160

I F. N. ROSS HOPPER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 26, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIHHUIIII 1x1 'E.\'TOR. fflEUiE/CX N Bass June 7, 1927. 1,631,160

F. N. ROSS HOPPER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug- 26. 1925 3 ShBBtB-SIIOBtS Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK N. BOSS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO THE PATENT BUTTON'COH- PM, 0] WATERBUBY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

HOPPER CON BTBUCTION.

Application filed August 26, 1925. Serial No. 52,561.

This invention relates to a hopper con struction and the means for assembling the same to a button attaching machine. The illustrations show a hopper assembled to a button attaching machine of the type which sews on the button as covered in my copending application Serial N o. 40,74rl, filed .July 1st, 1925. However, this hopper construction and assembly could be utilized with various types of button attaching machines, and may also be constructed for containing various types of fasteners.

The object of the invention is to provide a hopper which may be uickly and easily removed from the machine, yet when the same is secured in place, it is securely locked to the driving mechanism and may be positively driven thereby. v

A further object is the construction of the hopper support, and quickly detachable means for securing the hopper thereto, whereby the hopper is readily and quickly removed from the hopper support, and the bearing for supporting the rotating hopper may be readily cleaned, thereby enabling the operator to run his machine more efiiciently as'there are no long delays in removing the hopper in order to clean the interlor or to remove any fastening device which may have become jammed in the hopper or race-way associated therewith.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a button at taching machine showing the hopper in place.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a hopper support with the hopper removed.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the hopper support showing the reverse side from that shown in Fig. 2. l

Fi 4 is a section through the hopper on the line 4-4 of Fi 1.

a Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

i-Fig. 6 is a section on the-line 66 of Fig. 4.

- Fig. 7 is a detail in elevation of the inside of the hopper showing the grooves which ermit the fastening devices to be fed from t e interior of the hopper into the raceway associated therewith.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the race-way plate.

The machine here illustrated is of the type which sews on the button as described in my copending application mentioned above, and includes a machine housing a, a base I) and button sewing mechanism a and a button chute d for conducting the buttons from the hopper e to the button sewing mechanism. This button attaching machine includes a presser foot f which oscillates. When 1 have connected the hopper driving mechanism to this oscillating presser foot the said oscillation is changed to a rotatable drive for the hopper and includes a ratchet and pawl connection. This driving mechanism has been described and claimed in the above mentioned copending application but to thoroughly describe the hopper and the driving means therefor it is thought best to repeat a description of the drive 1n this description. Obviously, other forms of driving mechanisms could be connected to the hopper and the claims are not to be limited to the particular form of driving mechanism shown.

Refer to Figs. 1 and 3. An arm 9 pivoted to the bracket h as at i is provided with the ears is which are adapted to engage a projection m carried by the presser-foot base n. The presser foot which oscillates back and forth, imparts a rocking motion to this arm 9. The upper end of the arm 9 is connected to the link 0 and the link 0 is connected to the arm 10 (see also Fig. 4). A collar 9' is engaged over the reduced end portion of the shaft 9 and is tightened down by means of the nut s which clamps the ratchet wheel 27 against the shoulder a of the shaft thereby keying the ratchet to the shaft the arm p being permitted to rotate freely about the reduced portion of the collar 1'. The other end of the link 0 is threaded and is arranged to receive the adjusting nut 10 which bears against the fixture Q0, that is slidably su ported on the link, and which is yielding y held in its outer position by the coiled spring w. A pawl 1 1s pivotedly mounted on the arm p and yield ingly held in engagement with the ratchet t by any well known means. As the arm g oscillates the link 0 is oscillated and consequently the armp is rocked back and forth thereby driving the shaft 9 by means of the ratchet and pawl drive. In

.machines of this type there are suflicient oscillations of the presser-foot in one sewin operation to actuate the ratchet and paw drive for driving the hopper about one-half of a revolution. This movement of the hop er is sufficient to agitate the contents of taching machines of the type illustrated it isnecessary to provide a hopper support which may rock slightly, and for this reason I secure the hopper support onto a fixture 3 by means of a bolt 4 thereby allowing the hopper sup ort to rock on this bolt. Obviously the opper as far as this hop er construction is concerned could be rigi 1y fastened to a stationary part of the machine.

The outer face of the hopper support 2 is recessed as at 5. This recessed portion of the hopper support approximates a circular shape for providing a caring 6 for a rotating hopper. One side of the hopper support is provided with the extended recessed portion 7 for providing a raceway and will be described later. The drive shaft 9 is provided with a driving pin 8 and is grooved as at 9 near its outer end. The hopper e is provided with the hub 10 which is drilled out and nicely fits over the shaft '9. The end of the hub is notched as at 11 for receiving the driving pin 8 when the hopper is assembled to the hopper support. In this Waythe driving effort is imparted directly to the hopper through this driving pin.

I have provided an additional locking means which may be termed a latch for locking the hopper onto the driving shaft, and which will prevent longitudinal movement of the hopper with respect to said shaft. The hopper is provided with the recessed portion 12 and secured in this recessed portion is a latch guide plate 13 (see Figs. 4 and 6). This guide plate is cut out as at 14 and a latch 15 is guld'ed in this cut out portion of the guide and is provided with the lip or car 16 which permits the manual operation of the latch. This latch is provided with the hole 17 through which the driving shaft q extends. This latch is yieldingly forced downwardly by the spring 18 thereby forcing the upper portion of the latch into the groove 9 on the driving shaft to securely lock the hopper to said shaft and prevent the same from slipping off. A plate 19 is laid over the latch guide and latch and secured to the hopper by means of the screws 20, these screws also securing the latch guide plate in place. To release this look it is merely necessary for the operator to push the lip or ear 16 away from the center of the hopper or to lift up .the latch when it is in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 6. This will raise the latch and may be quickly permit the shaft to be pulled through the ole 17. In reality when the latch is released the ho er is ulled off the shaft. This means of etachafily securing the hopper to the support means that the hopper detached from the support by merely lifting the latch and pulling the hopper off the drive shaft. To replace the hopper it is merely necessary to slip the same over the drive shaft and push the same on the shaft and the latch automatically slips into groove 9.

The hopper is provided with grooves 21 in the peripheral edge or rim which permit buttons or other fastening devices contained within the hopper to pass from the hopper into the widened recessed portion 7 of the hopper sup ort. Pivotally and detachably secured to t e face of the hopper support is a race-way cover plate 22. his platemay be locked to the support by the screw 23. This plate is arranged to cover the widened recess portion 7 of the hopper support and forms a raceway 24 into which the buttons or other fastening devices are fed from the hopper. This raceway is connected to the chute Z). W'ith this construction it is possible to remove the hopper from the hopper support by' lifting the latch-and by taking out the screw 23 the plate 22 may be removed, thereby leaving the hopper support as shown in Fig. 2. This permits access to be had to the support for removing any dirt which may have collected therein, there being no deep grooves or odd shaped projections that might interfere. This may be nicely done with a piece of cloth in an instant. The hopper then may be slipped back on, the latch automatically locking the hopper thereto. The raceway cover plate is put in place and tightened down by turning down the screw 23.

The hopper is provided with agitating ribs 25 which may be separate pieces as shown in the drawings or integrally cast with the hopper. These ribs are provided with the enlarged heel portions 26 which prevent the buttons or other fastening devices from wedging in between the hopper and the support. The heel of these ribs is flush with the face of the hopper.

Vvhat I claim is:

1. In a hopper construction, the combination of a hopper support,.and a hopper'having a flanged outer rim arranged to abut against the hopper support, said hopper provided with substantially radial agitating ribs each having an enlarged portion at the outer end adjacent the flanged outer rim of the hopper and extending flush with the face of the hopper to prevent the,contents-.;.;:

of said hopper from wedging in between the hopper rim and hopper support;

2. In a hopper construction, the combination of a hopper, a hoppersupport provided with a recessed portion beyond the rim of the hopper and forming a raceway, and a plate removably mounted on said support and overlying the recessed portion of the support and being positioned free from the hopper to permit removal thereof and angular projections on the plate for engagement with the outer edge of the support.

3. In a hopper construction, the combina tion of a hopper, a hopper support provided with a raceway located entirely beyond the rim of the hopper, and a plate detachably secured to said support for partially enclosing the raceway, this plate lying free of the hopper to permit ready removal of the hopper.

4. In combination with a button attaching machine, a hopper for the buttons, a support for the hopper, a rotatable shaft extending through this support and projecting beyond the support, the hopper consisting of .a cup-shaped member having a centrally disposed tubular formation fitting over the projecting end of the shaft, a key mounted in the shaft and positioned adjacent the support, the end of the tubular formation of the hopper being provided with key ways for engaging this key whereb the hopper is locked to the shaft to rotate t erewith and means for holding the hopper on the shaft.

' disposed 5. In combination with a button attaching machine, a hopper for the buttons, a support for the hopper, a rotatable shaft extending through this support and projecting beyond this support, the hopper consisting of a cup-shaped member having a centrally tubular formation projecting over the projecting end of the shaft, a latch on the hopper for engagement with the shaft near its projecting end for holding the hopper on the shaft and means on the shaft substantially centrally of its length for engaging with the end of the tubular formation of the hopper whereby the shaft and hopper are locked together for rot-ative movement.

6. In combination with a button attaching machine, a hopper for the buttons, a support for the hopper, a rotatable shaft on the support, the hopper consisting of a cup-shaped member having a centrally disposed tubular formation fitting over the shaft, cooperating means on the shaft and hopper for locking the two together in rotative movement, and a latch device for locking the hopper and shaft together to prevent relative axial movement, said latch device being readily operable whereby the hopper may be quickly detached or mounted upon the shaft.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

FREDERICK N. ROSS. 

